27/11/2006 (Agence Europe) - Receiving the Carnegie-Wateler Peace Prize in The Hague on 23 November, the High Representative for the CFSP Javier Solana was at pains to stress that he had “benefited from Dutch hospitality”, when, at the time of the Spanish dictatorship, he had spent a year in Eindhoven. The spirit of acceptance, tolerance and freedom, he said, had made him feel welcome, and “I hope this spirit returns to the Dutch political arena after yesterday's elections” (see related article). He added, “Both Europe and the wider world need this country to play an active, self-confident role. Staying engaged; committing resources; taking risks for peace”. Mr Solana noted that the EU now had ten times as many operations in the field “on three continents”, from “'classic' peacekeeping, to police training, to border monitoring to security sector reform”. And, beyond “classic” conflicts, he spoke of the “global conflict in which our values are tested”, a “borderless conflict, taking place in distant countries and our cities and societies”, in Iraq, Israel-Palestine, Kashmir and also in Amsterdam, London, Copenhagen, and Madrid. The answer was greater dialogue, in which “we have to be aware that 'we' are numerically in the minority”. But equally, “we should stand up for the universality of some of our values”, he concluded, worried that “the gap between this part of the world and the wider Muslim world is growing”. (mg)